The NHL Holiday Break is collectively bargained by the NHLPA as a way to give players a break and certainty for their holiday celebrations. It’s important that the league and teams adhere to it, this includes not pressuring players with loaded questions to break the rules.
The Leafs had to get their players permission to take a team flight at 10:30pm on Dec 26th when the moratorium for team travel is at midnight. And while logically it makes sense to fly earlier and get a good bedtime in St. Louis, it’s time lost with family. And some players might not have had that choice.